Wednesday, 3 February 2010

In a sign of a possible rapproachment between Fatah and Hamas a senior Fatah leader is visiting the Gaza strip today. The on-off national dialogue talks hosted by the Egyptians have made little progress, but this has to be a hopeful sign. Shaath described Hamas 'as his brothers'. No mention of the sisters by the way.

A senior member of Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas' Fatah party made a rare visit to the Israeli-besieged Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Wednesday in a bid to encourage stalled reconciliation efforts.

Nabil Shaath, a member of the central committee of the secular Fatah, said he hoped to meet representatives from all the Palestinian factions including democratically elected Hamas, which seized Gaza control in June 2007.

"I want to see the citizens and their situation in Gaza. I am coming to part of the (Palestinian) homeland and I don't need a visa," he told reporters after passing through the Erez border crossing from Israel.

Israel has got a new best friend: the millionaire racist and sexist clown Berlusconi. The Italian prime minister has added his considered opinion on the Goldstone, describing it as an attempt 'to incriminate Israel for its justified firing on Hamas' rockets'. He didn't mention the 1,400 dead Palestinians. This man is a dangerous fool. He didn't let the opportunity pass to join the US in winding up the world for war on Iran for the audacity of thinking it can have nuclear weapons like Israel! How silly of the Iranians - they must learn to know their place. The hypocrisy of the West - and its policeman in the Middle East, Israel - is boundless.

Israeli Air Force launched a bombing raid on Gaza airport today, claiming it was in response to a new and innovative attack involving maritime born improvised explosive devices that have washed up on Israeli beaches over the past few days. The IAF says it was a bombing run on the tunnels but al Arabiya has reported that the airport was the primary target.No deaths have been reported but several persons have been injured.

The IAF struck weapons smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor, in the southern Gaza Strip. early Wednesday morning

The strikes came in response to two barrels containing explosive devices washing ashore on beaches in Ashkelon and Ashdod Monday. Both were destroyed by police sappers.

"The IDF will continue to operate with determintation and force against those who use terror against Israel, and hold Hamas responsible [for the attempted attack]," an army statement read.

The Al-Arabiya network, however, reported that the goal of the IAF strike was to damage the Gaza airport, and claimed several people were wounded in the attack.

Dozens of policemen resumed searches for additional explosive barrels after sunrise on Wednesday and the public was asked to stay off the beaches from Ashdod to Zikim for a second day running.

Evidence that Mossad was responsible for the killing of Al Mabhouh is obviously hard to come by, but Hamas is now suggesting an Arab government may have actually pulled the trigger or at least played a part in facilitating the murder of the resistance leader. Having said that, an Israeli reporter says the more one asks the authorities about the assassination in Israel the less officials are saying, indicating Mossad is likely up to its neck in this one, one way or another. The quotes below seem to have come via Haaretz, so the possibility this is all disinformation can not be ruled out either. Need to check what's being reported over at the Palestine Information Center.

“I wish to stress that the Zionist enemy is the one who pointed to the cooperation of some Arab countries and we do not build on the words of the Zionist enemy,” Taha explained.

“However, this possibility cannot be ruled out completely until investigations are complete,” he added.

Yermi Brenner, a left wing Israeli Journalist, said that the more the press tries to get information the tougher the Israeli officials become.

“This isn’t the first time the Mossad is accused of assassination, but there might be a good chance that he was killed by another Arab country, especially because of his close relationship with Iran. Incidents like these might never be resolved.”